


In The Vegas Lights

by ShadowHaloedAngel



Series: Stay [15]
Category: Ocean's 8 (2018)
Genre: Affection, Engagement, Established Relationship, F/F, Female Friendship, Fluff and Crack, Girls Kissing, Girls' Night Out, Las Vegas, Las Vegas Wedding, Queer Families, Same-Sex Marriage, Snark, Team as Family, Useless Lesbians, Wedding Planning, Weddings, beautiful disaster
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:27:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26328655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadowHaloedAngel/pseuds/ShadowHaloedAngel
Summary: The long awaited follow-up to the previous installment, multiple weddings and no funerals (here's hoping, but with this lot in Vegas anything can happen). Ladies loving each other, letting loose, and having fun.
Relationships: Daphne Kluger/Rose Weil, Lou Miller/Debbie Ocean, Natasha Romanov/Susan Storm, Nine Ball/Tammy (Ocean's)
Series: Stay [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1144451
Comments: 13
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The idea has been floating around for... probably approaching a year, but it's been on the back burner because I haven't been in the right place to write it. Suddenly I was struck with the urge, and here we are. Title trend continues, and thanks as always to why for beta reading and helping me narrow down all the options I find in my ridiculously extensive research.

"So, they finally did it..." Tammy sighed, smiling as she braced her elbows on the kitchen counter and leaned forward, hands wrapped around the glass of wine Leslie had poured for her when she'd finished a long day at the warehouse. She closed her eyes as Leslie's familar hands slid up her back, rubbing large circles up from hip to shoulder-blade and easing some of the tension from the day. 

"Apparently so..." Leslie replied, laconic but with a tinge of amusement running through the words. It had taken a long time for Tammy to be able to pick up on the little things like that, but when she caught those little flashes of Leslie's golden heart underneath her cool facade, it still gave her butterflies. 

"...By which I mean Debbie finally noticed that ring. I mean, I always knew she was oblivious, but that... was possibly a new record. She even bought the damn thing, and just... nothing," Tammy observed with fond exasperation, letting her head drop forward as Leslie's hands worked into the base of her neck. 

"Somethin' like that," Leslie chuckled, "I mean, when I me' her, her reputation kinda preceded her, bu'... well that firs' big job was big, an' wi' tha' I could kinda see... wha' everyone was talkin' abou'. Then the more I go' ta know her the more I realised there was a real difference between Debbie, an' Debbie Ocean."

Tammy laughed again and groaned a little as Leslie hit her shoulder just right. "...Do you think they realise that now they're engaged they are going to have to figure out the actual wedding bit? Like, Debbie does know it's legal now, right?"

Leslie slid her hands back down and pressed a kiss to the crown of Tammy's head as she moved away and shifted into the stool next to her. 

"...Who knows wi' them. Bu' I have faith they'll figure it ou' eventually."

Tammy nodded and leaned to rest her head on Leslie's shoulder, relaxing as Leslie's arm came around her waist, tucking her close. She smiled as Leslie pressed another kiss to her forehead too. 

"...You ever think 'bou' gettin' married again?" Leslie asked eventually, fingers combing through Tammy's hair idly, and Tammy's eyes shot wide. She could hear her heart pounding in the ensuing silence, but she also knew that Leslie would never rush her for an answer, and that the question would have come at the end of long and careful consideration. 

"...I don't know... I mean... I'm not... I'm not against it... I don't know... I guess I never really... thought about it..."

"...Any instinctive reaction to me askin' the question?"

Tammy fell silent again, and sat up, pulling away from Leslie although it was far more difficult than it should have been. She needed the loss of contact to think clearly about it, trying to get past the noise and the feeling of Leslie's fingers in her hair and the way she smelled and the warm solidity of her. Leslie let her go, and that was something that made Tammy love her even more. Leslie understood space, and that needing it didn't mean anything about the quality of their relationship. She needed to be able to hear her own thoughts without interference. 

Eventually, after a seemingly endless moment of hearing her heart pounding in her ears, Tammy turned to look Leslie right in the eye. 

"...Yes."

Leslie smiled, slow and warm and radiant as her whole face came alive. 

"Yes?"

Tammy smiled and took her hand, lifting it to her lips and pressing a kiss to the back of it. 

"...Yes."

"...Well then..." Leslie nodded after a moment, "Maybe we better call the kids and share the news, huh?"

Tammy checked the time and grabbed her phone, hitting James' number from her contacts list.

"Hey there Tammy, everything okay?"

Tammy smiled, letting her head fall into her hand. "Yeah, yeah, everything's good... I'm not too late for bedtime am I?"

"No, no not at all... you want to say goodnight to the kids?"

"...Not exactly..." Tammy took a deep breath, "Actually I have some news for you all... could you maybe grab the kids and put me on speaker?"

"Oh, sure, they're just finishing up a movie with Jon, let me grab them here..."

There were a few noises at the other end of the line, Tammy could hear James calling the kids out and the sound of Jon reassuring them that he'd pause the movie, and then the sound of the phone being shifted around. 

"Okay Tam, you're on speaker..."

"Hey, are you both having a good time? Being good to daddy and Uncle Jon?"

"Yes mommy!" came the chorus, and Tammy laughed a little. 

"Okay well mommy has some news for you... you remember how daddy and Uncle Jon got married last year?"

"Are you gonna marry Nine Ball?"

"...Would you mind if I did?"

"Nuh-uh, we like Nine Ball," Keri said, and Tammy heard Derek make a noise of agreement before he piped up with his own contribution, slightly muffled around his thumb, "Yeah, she's fun, she plays great games."

"Yes she does..." Tammy shot Leslie a warm smile and her fiancee winked at her. "So you're okay with this?"

There was the pop of Derek's thumb coming out of his mouth. "Yeah. She makes you happy right?"

Tammy smiled, still gazing at Leslie in the dark of the kitchen where they'd both forgotten to turn on the light. 

"...Yes she does."

"Okay then. Can we go finish our movie now?"

Tammy laughed. "Yes you can sweetheart. Goodnight, don't forget to brush your teeth, and mommy and Nine Ball will see you next week okay?"

"G'night mommy!"

James was laughing as the kids headed back and closed the call with a sincere, "Goodnight Tammy, and congratulations. I wish you both every happiness."

Leslie was smiling as Tammy put the phone down. 

"Well, tha' wen' well."

"Yes it did..." Tammy agreed. The smile didn't seem to want to come off her face, and honestly, she was fine with that. 

"Y'know who we gotta tell next righ'?" Leslie asked, grinning, and Tammy sighed and shook her head. 

"You're right. They're ridiculous, but you're right."

Tammy leaned in for a proper kiss this time, planting it on Leslie's lips as she pushed herself up and away from the breakfast bar to grab her phone from the counter again, hitting another number on the list. 

"Hey there Tim-Tam, how's it going?" Debbie picked up on the second ring, and Tammy smiled despite herself. 

"Not so bad thank you. Got some news," Tammy was fighting to keep her voice even, while grinning fit to bust. She was blushing, she knew she was blushing, and she absolutely did not care. 

"Oh yeah? Wait a sec, I'll put you on speaker."

Tammy bit her lip as she heard Debbie fumbling a little with the handset. "Is it just you and Lou?"

"Oh yeah, yeah, nobody else around, quiet night in..."

Tammy heard Lou's snort of laughter. 

"Hey Tammy, everything okay? What's the news?"

"...Apparently we're engaged," Tammy replied, feeling her heart pounding, her cheeks aching from how big and hard and wide she was smiling, and there were tears pricking her eyes as she gazed at Leslie who was smiling at her like she was the only girl in the world. 

"WHAT?! OH MY GOD CONGRATULATIONS!"

"What do you mean apparently...?" Lou asked drily, but Tammy could hear the fondness in her voice, and the volume and pitch Debbie had achieved made Leslie start to laugh. 

"I mean, I wouldn't exactly call it intentional but... you know, we had a conversation. Like adults."

"...Are you implying something?" Debbie asked suspiciously. 

"I would never," Tammy replied sunnily, while Leslie pressed her knuckles to her lips in an attempt to muffle the laughter. "On that note Deb, how's wedding planning going?"

"Well I mean, we've been trying to narrow down a date, but like..."

"We're going to Vegas," Lou cut in smoothly, and Tammy heard what sounded like Debbie trying to make her shut up. It was ineffective. It usually was. 

Tammy laughed, shaking her head a little. "Vegas, huh?"

"Figured we'd combine the bachelorette party and the wedding. Since all our friends are the same anyway, rather than trying to get everyone together twice, since, you know, people have lives, we thought..."

"You know, tha's no' a bad idea..." Leslie agreed, "Kinda like i'. One big blow out."

Lou chuckled, low and warm, and Tammy could picture them curled up together on the battered couch in the space they used as a living area, the way Debbie tucked into Lou's side, the way Lou would be stroking her hair. She'd been part of that once, and it had been good in so many ways, but she didn't miss it, not really. 

Tammy hesitated and glanced at Leslie, "I mean, I guess... well, it might save money?"

Leslie arched an eyebrow at her but she was still smiling. 

"You want to? Really?"

"I mean, I don't know? But I guess we could look into it, right? I mean, people have proper weddings in Vegas too?"

"Oh, totally, people plan things in Vegas all the time," Debbie replied, sounding surprisingly animated for the subject at hand, "I mean, I was really kind of liking the Bellagio honestly, and because it's so competitive there there are some really good packages around."

"What do you mean, Tim-Tam?" Lou asked, picking up on the sub-text even Tammy wasn't sure about because her heart was still pounding and her mind was racing and she was slightly light-headed and hell this wasn't the first spontaneous thing she'd done tonight by a long shot, and planning the actual wedding felt like small potatoes in comparison to agreeing to the idea in general. 

"...I mean... more than anyone I'd want you two to be there, and Daphne and Rose, and Tasha and Sue... and I guess after everything with Lika, Constance... but there isn't really anyone else I'd want to invite, so... if everyone's going to be in the same place... I mean I don't want to crash your ceremony or anything but Vegas is a big place with lots of options and I was just thinking... I mean James and Jon got married last year without the kids, so I see no reason why I couldn't maybe... at least look into it..."

"Double wedding weekend?" Lou asked, and the undercurrent of amusement was familiar, and there was no anger or jealousy or bitterness in it, and that eased a knot of tension Tammy hadn't even been aware of. 

"Oh fuck yes," Debbie enthused, "Let's make it happen. Come over tomorrow, I'll share all my intel."

"This is going to go so badly," Leslie observed, dark eyes shining bright and amused as she shook her head slowly. 

"I've got a shortlist of venues, and a longlist if you don't like the shortlist, and I've been doing some research into the casinos there. You know. In case we need some emergency finance while we're there."

"So, so badly."


	2. Chapter 2

"Hey! It's so good to see you, congratulations!" Debbie welcomed Tammy and Leslie enthusiastically as they arrived, and Tammy stepped into her embrace with only a brief glance to Leslie for a secret smile. Lou waved from where she was propping up the bar on a stool, toasting them with her glass. After a moment's consideration, Leslie went over to join her.

"How's it going?" Lou asked casually, "Can I get you a drink?"

Leslie glanced back over towards Debbie, "...Maybe tha's not the wors' idea. Thanks."

Lou nodded and poured her a drink nudging the glass across the bar. Leslie took it and lifted it in a silent toast. 

"...So..."

"So."

"What prompted this? Anything in particular?" Lou asked, tilting her head a little, watching Leslie through her fringe. 

Leslie smiled a little despite herself.

"This my shovel talk?"

"I don't really believe in shovel talks. You two've been together a pretty long time and you seem to make her happy. I respect that. Just wondered what prompted the kind of... change in gear I guess."

Leslie shrugged. 

"I dunno. Nah like... we're not copying you."

"No, we were a hard act to follow," Lou replied drily, and Leslie chuckled a little. 

"Ya always are. Bu' no. Not copying you exac'ly, but I guess i' put the thought in my head, y'know? Realised we'd never really talked abou' it and since i' was gonna be... a topic of conversation for the foreseeable future since we didn' know how long i' was gonna take you two ta actually ge' anywhere with i'... I jus' figured I'd ask Tammy wha' she thought abou' the idea. Knew she'd been married before, di'n know whether tha' had put her off entirely, or whether i' was still something that kinda... mattered ta her. Rather than tryin' to guess I figured... y'know, I could ask her. Wasn' exactly expectin' her ta say yes, bu' I'm nah mad abou' it."

Lou grinned. 

"That simple huh?"

Leslie took a sip and winked. 

"Tha' simple. I asked if she had any thoughts abou' i', she said she'd never really considered i', I asked if she had any instinctive reaction ta me askin' the question an' she said yes."

Lou exhaled heavily and glanced over to the couch where Debbie was already showing Tammy her stack of notes and magazines. 

"...If only it could have been that easy."

Leslie laughed, warm and free and easy. 

"You love her though."

Lou nodded, still watching Debbie carefully from the far side of the room. They were both... okay, more or less, but she still felt better when she could see Debbie.

"...I do. Wouldn't change her either, even if sometimes she drives me mad."

"Half the time they drive you mad, half the time they keep you sane. Tha's how you know i's love, righ'?"

"Right," Lou agreed, raising her glass. "And I know I said this wasn't a shovel talk, and it's not, but Tammy is very special to both of us and if you needlessly hurt her they will never find your body."

Leslie laughed. 

"I appreciate tha', honestly. I's good ta know there are other people out there who know how special my girl really is, and who get that. I know you all have a past an' I'm... honestly kinda glad abou' that. Though obviously I'm happier tha' you three di'n work ou' long term. Though hones'ly having seen Debbie at her mos' fiendish, I'm in no hurry ta ge' on the wrong side of you."

"Always good to hear," Lou finished the last sip of her drink and set the empty glass back down on the bar. 

Leslie smiled, "Now we got tha' outta the way, I was kinda hopin' ta pick your brain."

Lou raised her eyebrows, but she seemed pretty unfazed as she traced a finger around the rim of the tumbler. 

"Oh yeah? How can I help?"

"Where'd you get that ring?"

~

"So, wow, congratulations again!" Debbie said with a warm smile as they sat down on the couch. "Were you... expecting it?"

Tammy shook her head, and the smile was back on her face again. She felt like she'd hardly stopped smiling really. It was nice. Novel, but nice. 

"No, I wasn't. I mean I... I don't know. It couldn't have been more different than last time. James... had everything planned, there were the candles and the rose petals and down on one knee and... it was like the movies. This time it was me and Nine Ball in my kitchen at the end of a long day while the kids are with their dad, talking about you and just existing together, and then... rather than putting me on the spot she just asked what I thought about it. Like my opinion mattered and she cared what I thought but there was no pressure either way."

"And what did you say?" Debbie asked, eyes bright. She wasn't quite breathless with interest, but she was definitely engaged.

Tammy shrugged coyly. 

"I just said I hadn't thought about it. I hadn't. So she turned it around and asked if I had any instinctive reaction to the question..." Tammy shrugged, then turned a side-long gaze on Debbie under her lashes, a slight smile resting on her lips,"And I realised the answer was yes. There was no gut-wrenching horror, there was just... a feeling of rightness. So I said yes."

"So no ring yet?"

Tammy gave her a look, but she tempered it with a smile. 

"...No. No ring yet. But I think you two took enough time to sort your rings out to compensate. We don't have to rush anything though. I mean... well, when were you looking at doing this, if we're going to do it together?"

Debbie pulled a calendar over which had post-its sticking out of it on various pages. 

"I was looking at kinda the autumn, you know? Maybe moving into winter? Summer is not great. I mean, it's cheaper, but that is because it is a desert, in summer."

Tammy nodded, leaning over to look at the notes Debbie had scrawled on various pages. 

"Makes a lot of sense... I guess we need time though..."

"Oh, definitely. I think to a certain extent it even needs to be venues, then dates..."

"How many wedding chapels are there in Vegas anyway?" Tammy asked, leafing through a stack of printouts and magazines. 

"Fifty chapels, and then other venues including the big hotels and casinos and resorts," Debbie replied with a slightly tired grin. 

Tammy looked at her for a beat, then shook her head a little, smiling. 

"...You've looked through them all, haven't you."

"Yup."

"...So do you have any thoughts?"

Debbie tilted her head, brushing her curtain of chestnut waves back over her shoulder when it fell in her face. 

"...For us or for you?"

"Either?"

Debbie shuffled through some papers and pulled out a couple of printouts. 

"Honestly, for us I think I'm leaning towards the Bellagio. I mean, because it's Vegas the packages tend to be pretty comprehensive wherever you go, but I... really like the idea of being in a hotel in terms of the ease of having somewhere for everyone to stay and making it back to the rooms afterwards and everything. It takes some variables out of the equation, you know?"

Tammy nodded, "That makes a lot of sense. Plus if anyone gets bored there's always the casinos..." she shifted her gaze sideways to Debbie again and arched a brow. "Is there an ulterior motive in the choice of Vegas?"

Debbie batted her lashes, eyes wide, feigning shock. 

"Tammy! Please, I'm hurt by your insinuation. But I mean yes the thought has crossed my mind that it could be an opportunity to combine work and pleasure. I'm not planning to work on my wedding day. But if nothing else it's a chance to scope out potential targets for future jobs. Just to keep sharp, you know?"

Tammy laughed, shaking her head a little, but it was good, better than she had words for, to see Debbie back to this. She was a genius when it came to planning jobs, but the last job had been the biggest, most complicated, and most high-stakes job any of them had ever pulled. Tammy had genuinely been wondering if after that the Ocean might go straight - she certainly couldn't have blamed her - but seeing her friend excited and happy... was a relief. There were some scars from that incident which would never truly fade, but time was a great healer. 

"Kinda nice to know you've never changed."

"Kinda nice to feel... excited about something for good reasons," Debbie answered quietly, and Tammy squeezed her hand. 

"Anyway, venues for you... I mean, did you have any ideas? You've done this before, Leslie hasn't, since it was yesterday I'm guessing you haven't talked about it, and absolutely it should be a joint decision, but like... what are you thinking?"

"Not a church. I mean I don't even know if there are churches in Vegas but not a church, not somewhere that... looks like that. No Elvis. No theme. No drive-thru. I want a building and an aisle and... somewhere with heart," Tammy hesitated, glancing down and ducking her head a little. "I want to feel like a princess. Does that sound dumb?"

Debbie shook her head. 

"Nope. No better time. I mean, I liked James, but he never really... did that, did he?"

Tammy sighed and shook her head. 

"No. No he didn't. He tried, but his heart was never really in it, and... I don't know. It seems to come easily to Leslie. She thinks of things I'm not even aware of and just... makes me feel amazing, all the time. And I mean, my life is different now, I'm older, wiser, I have children, work's quieter because I can be choosy about the jobs I take now, and everything's just... more domestic. But I want to feel... and look, for once, the way Leslie makes me feel all the time."

Debbie smiled at her, quiet for a long moment before Tammy tilted her head and fronwed at her. 

"...What?"

"Just thinking... it's really good to hear you this happy Tim-Tam. I'm really glad you found each other."

Tammy smiled, warm and real and glowing from within. 

"...Yeah. Me too."


	3. Chapter 3

"So if we're going to do this joint wedding thing, I guess we should probably check that we're on the same page about guests?" Tammy asked, and Debbie looked up from where she'd been studying a dress catalogue. She put the magazine back on the table and nodded. 

"So... I mean, obviously you and Leslie were top of the list. And Tasha and Sue, and Daphne and Rose, and... I guess... honestly that was it." Debbie's smile was small and rueful. "Don't really have that many friends these days, things made life get... smaller. But I'm old enough now to know that it's about quality not quantity with... well, pretty much everything, but friends more than anything else. So I'm not even mad about it honestly. I wouldn't change it."

Tammy nodded slowly, considering that. She squeezed Debbie's hand. 

"...Thanks for... you know, putting us first. Even if you only did that because we're the ones here now. But no I'd agree with those people. I can't really think of anyone else I'd want to have there. Except maybe Constance."

Debbie sighed, and Tammy gave her a look. 

"She was as much a part of the job that gave you your life back as any of the rest of us. And you haven't gotten rid of her when she's been hanging around here."

"Hey, if she needs a place to be I'm not going to turf her out. And Lou has a soft spot for her. But do you really think letting her loose in a casino is a good idea?"

Tammy raised both eyebrows this time. 

"Do you really think letting ANY of us loose in a casino is a good idea?"

Debbie shrugged, but there was a hint of a smile on her face. 

"...Depends how you define good idea. You wouldn't want your kids there?"

Tammy sighed. 

"It's not that I haven't thought about it? I love them, very much. They're my life now, especially since that Lika job set me up with enough money not to worry about whether anything else is coming in, and Nine Ball pulls in plenty without even leaving the house, but... does it make me a terrible human being to say no? They're both young, and Vegas is... well, surprisingly family friendly because they want people to go and spend money there, but... Vegas with my kids is the polar opposite of Vegas with my friends. If we reframe this, and say... I'm coming to your wedding, then no, I'm not bringing my children for that. Being a mother is part of my identity, a huge part, but it's not my defining role and I... I think in a lot of ways it'll be easier on everyone including them if we just make it this one weekend, and you get married and we get married and all our friends are there and it's just... two days. Maybe four at most. And I want... to be able to enjoy everything without worrying about my kids and where they are and whether they're happy and entertained and not hungry. And then go home and go back to being the best mother I can be."

Debbie nodded. 

"Alright, makes a lot of sense. I just wanted to... make sure that you were okay with this, and that this was... how you wanted things to be. Because if you do want your kids involved... we can change things around and make that happen."

"I mean it's not... it's a big change and I want them to be part of it... but I... I want this weekend with you and then... when we get back, Leslie and I can have a little private ceremony with just us and the kids. Maybe James could give me away. When he and Jon got married last year they did it like that. They had a private ceremony up in the mountains and then when they came back we did a little thing that was just family. A wedding day is long and stressful and even if they were involved in it there would be such long periods when they were bored and I had other stuff to worry about at the same time, and they're so young..."

"That makes a lot of sense," Debbie agreed quietly, giving Tammy a reassuring smile. "And if there's anything we can do to help with the family thing..."

"You'll be the first to know," Tammy smiled, "Now, show me what you've got..."

~

"So, Vegas huh?" Leslie asked, and Lou chuckled. 

"Yeah..."

"Was tha' your idea or hers?"

"Mine," Lou replied with a nod. "Without setting parameters on it, it could have taken years trying to organise it. Taking that variable out of the equation simplified the array quite a bit."

Leslie chuckled, shooting a knowing glance across the room to where Tammy and Debbie were gradually encroaching over more and more of the coffee table. 

"Makes sense. She needs to plan everything, huh?"

Lou shrugged. "There's some room for spontanaeity but not about the important things. It's what Debbie does. She plans. Always has done. In all honesty I think what happened with Lika made it worse. She never... her life had never ridden on it before, let alone anyone else's. Worked out okay in the end but it very nearly didn't and I think she took that hard."

Leslie was watching her consideringly as she nodded, and let the silence stretch. 

"Yeah. I can imagine that makin' i' worse. Can't imagine wha' it mus' be like to come as close as you two did. Nah tha' I know much abou' the details. Neither Tasha nor Sue wanted ta talk abou' it much. Guess they fel' like it wasn' their story to tell. Bu' I can' imagine watchin' someone torture the woman I love cause'a me. An' I guess you both know how tha' feels."

"...Yeah. Yeah," Lou agreed eventually, staring back down into the empty glass before she managed to lift her head again to meet Leslie's eyes. "Honestly, I don't recommend it."

"How are you holdin' up though?"

Lou shrugged. 

"I sleep better at night knowing what we did. But sometimes when I can't see her I panic. When she goes to the bathroom in the night and I happen to wake up, my throat closes up and my heart starts racing. It's getting easier with time, and we've both got... ways to check in and reassure each other. Ways to ground each other. I think one of the worst parts is knowing how much she went through on her own without telling me. But that doesn't quite trump the torture, really. Or the helplessness. The sense of powerlessness. That was the worst of it. Sue put us on to a therapist who has experience dealing with people who've gone through that kind of thing, and who can be trusted to be discreet. We've both been going. Individually, and the occasional couples session. It's helping. I'm not ashamed of admitting it."

"Nor should ya be," Leslie nodded, reaching out to give Lou's arm a reassuring squeeze. "An' for wha' i's worth... ya both got people who got ya back."

Lou's smile was tight, but it was genuine as she gave a sharp nod. 

"Thanks. Counts for a lot, actually. I mean you always learn a lot from experiences like that, and for better or worse... Deb and I know that it's quite literally to the end of the line now. I think that took away some of the excuses for... not doing this. Kinda crystallised things. When there are things you keep putting off, coming quite that close to death clarifies them and has a way of removing some of the obstacles. I mean, new ones appear, because... we're us and Deb's Deb, but... I'd say this was overdue but actually I think it's just the right time."

"Seems like i'," Leslie smiled, warm and real as she jerked her head towards the bar. "Any chance of a refill?"

Lou chuckled, "Every chance... same again?"

"Please. So, why Vegas?" Leslie asked while Lou refilled the glasses.

Lou shrugged. 

"Believe it or not, we've never been. Danny went once or twice, told Deb all about it, but we figured we were fine on this coast. Not exactly a shortage of work and it seemed a long way to go. It's the city of sin, and a chance to have fun and blow off some steam. We're lucky enough to do work we enjoy, when we do it, so maybe combine business and pleasure, and just have fun with friends. Life's too short. And some of the riding around there is gorgeous with the deserts and the national parks. Always wanted to go but it's a fucking long way to road trip. Plus... if you want to get married, Vegas is the wedding capital of the world, for better or worse, and because of the competition they know how to do it smoothly and efficiently and it's... well. Got a range of options unlike anywhere in the world."

"Makes a lot of sense when ya put i' like tha', Leslie nodded, leaning back on her stool and propping herself against the bar on both elbows. 

Lou nodded, bracing herself on her own knees and looking up. 

"You really okay with this?"

Leslie shrugged. "I am if Tammy is... an' I ge' the feeling tha' if she wasn' before, she will be by the time Debbie's finished wi' her. An' you're right abou' the good points, and i' would be kinda fun to just have a blow out party all together since we got a lotta friends in common. Jus' do everythin' in one fell swoop before we come back to the real world with a bump. At the enda the day though, i's mostly abou' Tammy. I wanna make sure this time we do i' righ' an' she gets ta feel like the princess she deserves to be."

Lou chuckled, nodding slowly, eyes bright. "Tammy is a queen."

Leslie raised her glass in a toast. 

"Damn righ'. So tha' ring?"

Lou took a draught of her own drink, wiping her lips with the back of her hand as she nodded. 

"Right, yes, of course, I have a contact who runs a shop, specialises in unique and vintage pieces. I'd be happy to come with you if you want. If we go together I'm sure he'll give you a good price."

Leslie chuckled, "I's nah what you know bu' who you know, righ'?"

Lou smiled, "Something like that."


	4. Chapter 4

"So, what exactly are we doing here again?" Daphne drawled, pulling a cigarette out from her case and putting it between her lips. Lou swatted it out again with a warning look. 

"Oh no. This is a non-smoking club. Even I go outside."

"Not that you smoke anymore," Debbie added with an angelic smile. Lou gave her a look through her fringe, but it softened into a smile. "The lighter's just out of habit and convenience, right?"

"It's a useful tool to have around," Lou agreed with a nod, settling back on the couch and wrapping her arm around Debbie again. She liked the way Debbie fit against her. It was one of the many things last year had taught her not to take for granted. 

"Is there something going on?" Rose asked, blinking owlishly at them.

"Yeah, what's this news?" Daphne leaned forward, bracing her elbows on her knees and pulling her sunglasses down far enough to look over them, making the most of her cleavage. "I mean, forgive me for being a little cynical here, but last time you brought us all together wasn't exactly good news."

"Gatherings like this usually mean Debbie has some kind of fiendish plan. I'm really hoping the stakes aren't as high on this one," Tasha drawled, sprawled across the other couch with her head in Sue's lap and one of her feet in the air. 

"I'm just here for the food," Constance added through a mouth full of peanuts. She looked a bit like a hamster, and Tammy covered her mouth to hide her smile. 

"Well, thank you all for gathering together anyway," Debbie sighed, pulling an exasperatedly resigned face while Lou bit her lip against the urge to laugh. "So... as some of you may know, Lou and I are engaged."

"No, I must have missed that memo," Sue drawled, scritching Tasha's scalp in a spot that seemed to meet with the redhead's approval judging by the way her eyes rolled back in her head. "Not like it took the two of you idiots forever to figure out. I think I must have underestimated how obtuse you could be when you wanted to-"

"ANYWAY," Debbie cut back in, shooting Sue a look which was greeted with a sunny smile. "We've been working on planning the ceremony and we've fixed a date in October, we were hoping you might all attend..."

"Depends where it is," Daphne replied, and then winced as Rose elbowed her unsubtly in the ribs.

"Don't be silly dear, of course we'll be there..."

"Thank you Rose."

"Before that particular reveal is made though, Leslie and I have some news too..." Tammy piped up, and tried not to blush when six pairs of eyes swivelled to her. Constance was still primarily focused on filling up on food. 

At least two of the six pairs of eyes swivelled to her finger where a band sat snugly, silver and rose gold twined around a solitaire diamond.

"HOLY SHIT!" Daphne yelled, with Rose echoing her in a slightly calmer way, both of them staring. 

"Congratulations!" Sue beamed. 

"Took you long enough," Tasha said laconically, but she was smiling. 

"So wait, hang on, is this some joint engagement party? Are you- what is going on here?"

"Well you see, the thing is," Debbie cut back in smoothly, and Tammy was back to smiling as Daphne immediately wheeled on the brunette. "Lou and I had finally settled on where to get married, and we figured... why not be efficient, since we all have lives, and combine the bachelorette parties and the wedding into one big blowout weekend..."

"And then we were talking," Tammy picked up the thread, feeling Leslie's fingers curling into her hair gently, "And we thought why not be really efficient, since we all wanted the same people there and we all have such busy schedules... and just combine everything. Separate ceremonies, of course, but a hell of a weekend."

"Well that's certainly one way to do it," Sue observed, and Tasha chuckled, gazing at the ceiling now. 

"You do know this is going to be an absolute carcrash, right?"

"Well yeah," Lou replied with a grin in the redhead's direction, "Kinda the point."

"I figured."

"Whoa whoa whoa, so hang on, where is all this big blowout of a party going to happen anyway?" Daphne asked, staring between them. 

Debbie and Tammy exchanged looks, and Tammy gestured in Debbie's direction while the Ocean smiled like the cat that got the cream. 

"...Las Vegas. Where else?"

And the room exploded into noise.

~

The ensuing barrage of questions was fairly indiscriminate, and everyone appeared to have different priorities.

"Wait so... does this mean I'm gonna have to wear a dress?" Constance asked, hand half-raised like she was in school. 

"Do you have yer dresses yet? D'you need any help with them?" Rose was almost bouncing with excitement, though true to form she censored herself and wilted for a moment before perking up again, "I don't think I have time to make them, but I have contacts, I could point you in the direction of a few great designers if you have some idea what you're looking for?"

"So who's going to be your bridesmaids?" Daphne was demanding, "I mean, obviously I have better things to do but I guess I could lower myself to do it, y'know, if it would mean a lot to you..."

"Vegas is a very long way," Tasha observed, glancing up at Sue affectionately and then back across the room to Debbie and Tammy in turn. "How were you planning on getting us all there? And back, for that matter?"

"Oh I am absolutely not road-tripping, mm-mm, nope, no way," Daphne seemed to have been distracted from the immediate question of the bridesmaids, "Fuck no, it has to be like a week each way and I have movies to shoot. And direct for that matter," she preened, allowing herself a very self-satisfied smile before focusing back on this important aspect of the trip. "I am not riding in a car with any of you bitches for a week straight. Not that any of us are straight. And gas station bathrooms, ugh. Gag me."

"I thought you said that was only fer special occasions?" Rose asked, looking confused, and Lou muffled a snort of laughter as Daphne momentarily flashed an interesting shade of red. 

There was a brief moment of silence when they could have heard a pin drop, and then the babble ensued before Debbie raised a hand and they all calmed down again. 

"No bridesmaids. Tammy's my maid of honour, Leslie's Lou's best woman."

"And Debbie's my maid of honour and Lou's Leslie's best woman," Tammy added, letting Debbie continue. 

"And we're not road-tripping, we're going to fly."

"Ugh god please tell me it's not going to be coach..."

"Actually we concluded that with this group of people and what we're likely to get up to, as well as other... aspects of the situation... it was easier to charter a jet, so we're going to get there in style," Lou explained with her patrician grin, smug about it as Debbie grinned and leaned up for a kiss. "Isn't that so, schmoopsyboo?"

"...Schmoopsyboo?"

"I think I'm going to be sick."

"Is this how it's going to be now you're engaged?"

"Please no."

"Hey is there any more of this cheese dip? It's really good."

Tasha was looking at Lou with narrowed eyes. "I truly admire your commitment to fucking with people. You embrace chaotic neutral. Remind me to invite you along to our DnD game one of these days."

"Oh no, you are never playing DnD with her," Sue objected, and Tasha turned her best pleading eyes on her. 

"But schmoopsyboo..."

"I hate you all and you are all terrible people," Sue announced, "Now, when did you say the wedding was?"

"Third weekend in October."

"Okay, well at least we've got a little time to plan..."

"Oh please, like we ever plan anything at all..."


End file.
